Divyangjans
- Divyang is a Hindi word that means “divine body part.”
- The Hon’ble Prime Minister gave the term ‘Divyangjan’ to the Persons with Disabilities and launched the Accessible India Campaign in 2015.
- In India, people with disabilities are known as Divyangjan.
Government Initiatives to empower Divyangjan:
Department of Divyangjan:
- The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment’s Department of Persons with Disabilities is renamed the Divyangjan Sashaktikaran Vibhag.
Right of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016:
- Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 promotes and protects the rights and dignity of people with disabilities in educational, social, legal, economic, cultural and political spheres.
Accessible India Campaign:
- The government launched the “Accessible India Campaign” (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) which seeks to make government buildings “fully accessible” for the disabled.
Sugamya Bharat App:
- The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s Department of Disability Empowerment has launched the ‘Sugamya Bharat App’ to address accessibility issues faced by differently-abled people in buildings and transportation systems.
Accessibility in Education Sector:
- Under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, provision has been made for in-service training of teachers, and training for special educators.
- The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to provide barrier-free access to education for all children with disabilities.
Divya Kala Shakti:
- The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment hosted the first-ever colourful cultural event in the western region, “Divya Kala Shakti: Witnessing the Abilities in Disabilities”.
Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP):
- The ADIP Scheme has been in operation since 1981 with the main objective to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation.
Deen Dayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme:
- Under Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme, the Central Government has been providing grant-in-aid to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for projects relating to the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR):
- This is a Central Autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan).
- It is a federally funded institute that focuses on mental health rehabilitation.